Abstract

Volume 6, Issue 4, August Issue - 2018, Pages:717-731

EFFECT OF SILICON INTERACTION WITH NUTRIENTS IN RICE

Authors: Rinny Swain, Gyana Ranjan Rout

Abstract: Present experiment was conducted by using 22 upland and lowland rice varieties grown in nutrient solution with four different concentrations of silicon (Control, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mM) for 30 days to observe the variable accumulation rate in Indica rice. Significant differences were observed in relative shoot growth than the relative root growth. The maximum relative shoot growth rates were observed in var. Swarna (203.45%), var. Pratikhya (202.70%), var. Ghanteswari (196.04%) and var. Jyortirmayee (154.55%) at 1.0 to 1.5 mM Si concentration after 20 days of treatment, higher concentration showed pessimistic effect. Relative shoot growth showed positive correlation with silicon accretion and highest accumulation in case of var. Swarna (3.96 mg/g) and var. Ghanteswari (3.79 mg/g) at 1.5 and 1.0 mM Si application, respectively. Among the 22 varieties used, six varieties were selected including 3-upland and 3-lowland on considering their differential Si-uptake potentials and analyzed for nutrient mobilization ability in combination with silicon. The EDX maps showed the different level of element deposition on leaf surface under Si influence in var. Ghanteswari. With the increase in external Si supply in each genotype, the amount of silicon deposited varies, influencing the other nutrient mobilization. Both major (P, K, Ca and Mg) and minor nutrients (Mn, Fe and Cu) showed affirmative correlation with increase in Si concentration. Thus, Si supplementation in rice is a cost effective, sustainable and environmental friendly nutrient management system for enhancing rice yield.